The present invention relates to an image display device and a driving method of the device, and particularly relates to the device and the method which are effective for use in an image display device using a multiple electron sources in which electron emitters are disposed in a matrix pattern.
Much attention has been attracted on a self-luminous, matrix-type display in which electron sources are provided at intersections between electrode groups perpendicular to each other, and applied voltage or applied time to respective electron sources are adjusted, thereby the quantity of electrons emitted from the electron sources are controlled, and then the emitted electrons are accelerated by high voltage and thus irradiated to phosphors.
As the electron sources used for this type of display, electron sources using field emission cathodes, thin-film electron sources, carbon nano-tubes, surface-conduction electron emitters and the like are given.
In this type of display panel, line-sequential scan is generally performed. FIG. 7 shows a structural drawing of a display panel in which electron emitters are disposed in a matrix pattern.
In FIG. 7, electron emitters 201 configure respective pixels, and the electron emitters 201 are disposed in the matrix pattern. Respective electron emitters in a vertical direction are connected to data lines 202, and respective electron emitters in a horizontal direction are connected to scan lines 203.
The display panel includes horizontal m dots and vertical n lines, and D1 to Dm are data electrodes for applying data signals on respective data lines, and S1 to Sn are scan line electrodes for applying selection voltage on respective scan lines.
When the line-sequential scan is performed, driving current for all electron emitters connected to selected scan lines flow into a selected scan-line electrode.
FIG. 8 shows a configuration of a drive circuit for driving the display panel using the electron emitters. In FIG. 8, an image signal 210 and a synchronization signal 205 are inputted into a timing controller 206.
The timing controller 206 outputs a control signal 213 for controlling a data-electrode drive circuit 207 that drives data electrodes, a control signal 214 for controlling a scan-electrode drive circuit 208, and image data 212 for generating driving waveforms for driving the data electrodes.
The scan electrode drive circuit 208 selects one scan line among respective scan lines. One of scan selection switches SH1 to SHn is into an on-state, and selection voltage VH is applied to a selected scan line electrode.
Conversely, non-selection operation is performed using non-selection switches SL1 to SLn. A plurality of switches corresponding to scan lines to be in a non-selection state are into the on-state, and consequently non-selection potential LH is supplied to electrodes of the scan lines.
High voltage is supplied from a high-voltage circuit 211 to the display panel 209, and the emitted electrons are accelerated by the high voltage and then irradiated to the phosphors.
FIG. 9 is an operation wave form diagram of the drive circuit shown in FIG. 8. In the line-sequential scan, at the beginning of vertical scan, selection operation is started from a scan line connected to a scan line electrode S1, and then scan is performed sequentially.
The scan selection switch SH1 is into the on-state during a period T1, so that a first scan line is selected. At that time, data voltage Vd11 to Vd1n are supplied to respective data lines by the data electrode drive circuit 207.
Next, the scan selection switch SH2 is into the on-state during a period T2, so that data voltage Vd21 to Vd2n are supplied to respective data lines. The operation is sequentially performed to display an image corresponding to one field.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2004/001039 (JP-A-2004-86130) describes an image display device having a correction circuit for correcting voltage variation in a row selection signal due to voltage drop caused by on-resistance of an output stage of a row drive circuit and current flowing into a selected row line according to gray-scale information, and a column drive circuit that generates a modulation signal modulated according to the gray-scale information such that abrupt change in current flowing into the selected row line is restrained.